Dress code

In BDSM, a dress code is a policy of appropriate dressing for social events such as fetish clubs and play parties. It specifies how guests have to be dressed to be admitted into the event. Dress codes are usually enforced.

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What to wear

The most important rule in a BDSM dress code is that guests' attire should be erotic and/or fetishistic; denim jeans, T-shirts or streetware are usually a no no. There are two reasons for having a dress code. One is to discourage people not in the BDSM scene from entering the event solely to ogle at the guests, and another is to raise the event's atmosphere by ensuring that guests are dressed excitingly enough to attract others' attention.

Dress codes are usually fairly standard between clubs but the types of dress worn by clubbers does vary depending on the type of club. Dance orientated clubs, such as Torture Garden, have a "see and be seen" attitude to them, and the clubbers' attire tends to be much more individualistic. Play clubs on the other hand are generally more conservative, with a focus on the more classic fetish stereotypes of rubber and leather.

The kinds of attire a BDSM dress code includes vary slightly from club to club but usually follow a general guideline: